


Coffee at midnight

by SlytherinSwiftiePercabethIsOtp



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Post TLO, Pre HOO, percabeth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:14:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27262564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlytherinSwiftiePercabethIsOtp/pseuds/SlytherinSwiftiePercabethIsOtp
Summary: Annabeth didn't know what she'd expected when she told Percy that she was bored, but she definitely hadn't expected him to come to her dorm and pick her up ten minutes before her 10:30 curfew.OrHow I imagine the first “I love you” went down
Relationships: Annabeth Chase & Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson
Comments: 6
Kudos: 88





	Coffee at midnight

**Author's Note:**

> You understand now why they lost their minds and fought the wars  
> And why I've spent my whole life try to put it into words  
> 'Cause you can hear in the silence  
> You can feel it on the way home  
> You can see it with the lights out  
> You are in love, true love  
> ———————————

Annabeth didn't know what she'd expected when she told Percy that she was bored, but she definitely hadn't expected him to come to her dorm and pick her up ten minutes before her 10:30 curfew. But, then again, he wasn't known for his impulse control. They sat in the car giggling, and for a moment they could pretend they were just two kids without a care in the world. 

"Fuck that curfew anyway" Annabeth started as he pulled away from her school

"That's the spirit, babe!" Percy said from behind the steering wheel

Annabeth couldn't help but laugh as she said, "Babe? Since when do you call me that?"

"I don't know, I was trying something new. I won't call you that if you don't like it" Percy grumbled, failing at keeping the color from flooding his cheeks.

Annabeth thought for a minute before replying, "No, it's fine, I like it"

They were at the stage in their relationship where they were still navigating their transition from friends to this. It was a little awkward but also very sweet, and neither of them would have traded it for the world. And yet, there was a certain comfort that also came with their long history, which gave them the confidence to speak their mind, no words went unsaid between them. 

"So where are we going?" Annabeth finally said, she looked out of the window trying to figure out where he was taking her.

"There's this new cafe and it looked cute, so I thought we could check it out"

"Ooh, a midnight date, how romantic"

"Dude, it's 10:30, I don't think that's midnight" Percy said laughing

"Can't a girl hope?" 

"Of course you can, all thanks to me not letting hope escape that fucking box"

Annabeth rolled her eyes at his words, but her retort was cut short as Percy pulled into a parking spot in front of a small, elegant outlet that read Céleste. The place was quaint, the exterior a subdued hue of blue compared to the blinding lights of the neighboring shops.

"Céleste," Annabeth said taking in the cafe, "that's French. Like I said before, how romantic"

"Only the best for you mademoiselle" Percy replied, a bad French accent lacing his words

"Ah merci monsieur baguette" answered Annabeth, her accent just as horrible as her boyfriends.

As they stepped in, they were surrounded by the overwhelming smell of fresh bread and coffee that made both of them hungry at once. The interior of the place was just as beautiful as the outside, wooden tables took up the floor and each one had a small vase filled with flowers, the pastry case up front was filled with the most delicious looking treats ranging from New York cheesecakes to traditional French desserts Percy couldn't pronounce, and there was a door that led to a tiny garden outside where there were two sets of tables. The place was empty save for them and Percy thought that was truly a crime.

A girl, who couldn't have been any older than them, scurried towards the couple as they entered. She smiled and introduced herself as Cami before leading them towards the table out back, which they requested. The night was just a little chilly, with autumn setting in, and the moon seemed to glow in the night sky. Their table was dimly lit, by a lantern that hung next to their table.

"I'll have a hot chocolate, please" Annabeth said, after glancing through the menu.

"And I'll get a, um, Nutella crepe please. With strawberries. Thank you" Percy requested.

Cami shot a pleasant smile in their direction before heading inside to place their orders.

The hot chocolate arrived quickly, and Annabeth was glad for her hot drink as the weather only continued to get colder with the passage of time. She sat sipping from her cup, huddled in her seat, when Cami placed the crepe in front of Percy. The dish looked too good too be true, and it smelled the same. All at once, Annabeth regretted getting just a hot chocolate. 

"Shit! This tastes so good" Percy said, once he'd swallowed the first bite.

Annabeth hummed in reply, closing her eyes and taking in the moment. The cold air, the hot chocolate and her even hotter boyfriend.

Percy was about halfway through his crepe, when Annabeth reached across and dragged his plate over to her side of the table. She dug her fork through the thin wrap and as she put it in her mouth, her eyes grew wild in disbelief.

"Shut the fuck up, how does it have the audacity to taste this good?" The words escaped her without a thought, because after all there were no words left unsaid between them.

But at that moment, looking at Annabeth with her hair pulled up in a messy bun, her eyes alit, and the chocolate spread smeared all over her lips, Percy had a single thought that he pushed back. And, so maybe, there were words suppressed, but not many, just three. 

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Annabeth demanded, from across him. 

Percy paused before answering, he gave her a small smile and said, "You're my best friend"

"Okay I get it, I know what you're thinking"

"You do?" Percy asked his voice brimming with confusion

"Yeah, you're thinking about how much you hate me for finishing your crepe"

He couldn't help but chuckle. Quite the contrary.

———————————

Their drive back, was a quite one, their silence only interrupted by small remarks one of them would make. Percy head swirled with thoughts of the sentence, he wanted to, so badly, utter out loud. Growing up, words of affection between him and his mom were common, but he knew Annabeth had been brought up in a drastically different environment, and he didn't want to scare or pressurize her. If she was going to say it, he wanted it to be on her own terms.

"Go to the back gate" Annabeth's voice rang out as they took the turn that would lead to her school.

"You sure you won't get in trouble?" Percy asked, taking the route she'd requested.

"Can't get in trouble, if no one catches you"

And if there was ever a doubt in Percy's mind as to whether he did in fact mean the words that snuck into his mind earlier that evening, it vanished now.

When they'd finally reached and parked a little way off, Percy stepped out of the car, to see her off. He couldn't count on himself to not say it, so he didn't say anything. He walked over to the other side of the car, smiling as she got out and stretched her limbs. She walked over to him, and pressed her lips against his. When they pulled apart, her eyes seemed different somehow, clear as though she'd seen something and never wanted to look at anything else now that she'd seen that.

"Goodnight babe" Percy said, hoping to get a laugh from her. And he was victorious in his pursuit, Annabeth let out a low chuckle, her eyes glowing in the streetlight. She leaned toward him, and kissed him once more, her lips soft against his own, tasting mildly like strawberries and chocolate.

She took a deep breath as though she was braving herself for something and then she said it. It.

"I think I'm in love with you" 

Lightning could have struck Percy at that moment, killing him and he would have died happy. It took everything in him, to keep his voice steady as he replied.

Placing his hand against her cheek, he said it back, "I think I'm in love with you too" 

It felt great to say it out loud, but as the words escaped his mouth, he realized that that they'd known it all along. Although they might not have said it explicitly, they knew it. When Annabeth stayed awake with Percy the night before a test as he crammed, when Percy checked everyday to make sure she ate breakfast, when their shoulders brushed as they walked beside each other, when their smile lit up the others day, and when they needed nothing more than each other's company, all those times they’d known it. 

And Percy found that he lived his whole life thinking he knew something, only to rediscover it in the smile of a girl whose eyes held storms and whose hair was woven with sunlight. A girl who never once gave up, even when the world raged on against her. A girl who believed in love despite having lived sixteen years without any.

And Annabeth spent her whole life searching for something, only to find it in the arms of a boy with hair like the darkest night and eyes the color of the soothing sea. A boy who had been ready to sacrifice it all for a better world, even if it meant he didn't get to live in it. And a boy who'd once brushed crumbs off of his hands and promised her he'd never leave.

———————————

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by “you are in love” by Taylor swift. Find me on tumblr (@youcanbemytaylor) :D


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